Lightened construction for rail joints



Nov. 24', 1925. 1,562,609

v. c. ARMSTRQNG LIGHTENED CONSTRUCTION FOR RAIL JOINTS Filed July 10. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 24l 1925. 1,562,609

V. C. ARMSTRONG LIGHTENED CGNSTRUCTION FOR RAIL JOINTS Filed July 10. 1925 2 sheetsmet 2 V/TNESSESI- @a K Patented lion. 34,

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'VICTOR C. ARMSTRONG, GF HACKENSACK, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW' 'YRK, N. Y., A CORPORATIN 0F 'NEW YORK.

LIGHTENED CIQ'STRCTIN FOR, RAIL JIN'IS.

Application filed July 10, 1925.

T0 all 107mm if may concern.'

Be it known that I, VICTOR C. ARM- STRONG, citizen. of the United States, residing at Hackensack, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightened Constructions for Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

rIhe present invention represents a carry ing forward of the new principle of metal j distribution for the IVe-ber type of rail joint or equivalent structures wherein one of the joint members has a rail supporting base engaging the bottoms of the rails.

To that end the invention primarily has Vin view a novel application to the shoe of a Veber joint or equivalent structure of the principle of metal distribution disclosed in the Armstrong and Groff Patent No. 1,484,487 granted January 8, 1924, wherein subnormal displacements of metal are advantageously located for the purpose of improving the set and action of the joint while at the same time effecting an economical saving in the amount of metal used. In recent years one of the important problems of the railroad engineer, and the designer of rail joints has been to provide rail joints of the highest efficiency from the standpoint of strength and adaptability to the loa-ding and deflection stresses while at the same time avoiding the use of wasteful metal. In studying` those problems, and in observing the behavior of joints in track it has been found that the principle of subnormal metal distribution according to the invention of the Armstrong and Groff patent responds more nearly to the exacting requirements of the railroad engineers than former structures wherein stiffness and strength were obtained by additions or surplusage of metal in the forms of ribs or other reinforcement disposed in Various ways.

This condition has applied to all forms of rail joints, and the present invention is yintended to obtain novel and very useful results in a Weber type rail joint or equivalent structure by so locating the subnormal displacements of metal as to maintain the necessary strength and flexibility while at the same time cooperating with the filler block of the joint to hold the parts properly set when the bolts are tightened and also improving the action of the joint in adapt- Serial No. 42,795.

ing it to the rail wave motion, under passing loads; also providing a substantial reduction in the use of metal.

l With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the features of improvement, in a novel relation, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed, and byway of example, certain practical forms of construction are shown in the drawings, in which Figure l is a sectional view of a Weber typel rail joint containing the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l showing the deformed part of the upright member of the shoe in its relation to the Wooden iiller block.

Figure 3 is a detail inside perspective view of a portion of the angle shoe of the Weber type rail joint showing one form in which the subnormal deformations may be made in the inner wall of the upright member of the shoe.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the joint present invention to a Weber type of rail joint no departure is necessary 4from the general plan and organization of that type of joint. Accordingly, for illustrative purposes there is shown in Fig. l of the drawings a` IVeber type rail joint including in addition to the rail l the angle or splice bar 2 fitting the fishing spaces of the rail at one side of the joint, the channel bar 3 iitting the fishing spaces at the other side of the joint, the angle shoe S and the filler block 4 fitting in the channel 5 at the outer side of the 'channel bar 3 and having a flat outer face 6 clampingly engaged by the upright member of the shoe. The usual bolts 7 complete the joint. y

The angle shoe S of the joint is shown to be of the conventional shape and type. It includes in its construction the upright inember or loolting plate 8, the rail supporting base member or plate 9 underlying the rail bases and usually of a greater width than the Width of the rail bases and the reinforcing foot or toe arranged at the outside of. the shoe and at the juncture between the upright and base members 8 and 9 thereof.v

According to the present inventionit islpro.-

posed toimprove the action ofthe shoe and at the Sametime materially lighten it by producing subnormal deformations 11 therein. These subnormal deformations are produced .in the upright member-- or bolting'l plate of the shoe preferably in the final pass ofthe rolling 1nill,` and Whileftheymaybe of Vdii'erent shapes a preferred constructiony is to have said deformationsy in the -form of vertically extending depressions orcavities in the vinner side of the upright memberof the shoe. The v standard -or predetermined normal thicknessfoffthe upright member'of the; shoe is maintained at `spaced 'intervalsas at 12, leaving atV such` locations VArib-like -por-V tions which serve to `vmaintainfthe stiffness and strengthfofvthe shoe `While also forming liold'ing membersfivhich have Ian interlocking i engagement With the ller block i when the bolts are tightened. Between lthese locations 12 ofnormal Wall thickness the depres` sions or'cavities 11 produce vvallportions 13 of subnormal thickness, and inthe aggre gate these subnormally thinned Wall portions 13 representa great saving 1n metal,

as vWell as contributing-tofthe flexibility of'r Another desirable `and i proven: feature of this principle of metal-distribu-Vv the joint.

tion is .that the same actually improves the effective strength of themember-yinwhichthe subnormal displacements a-remade -and materially raises itis elastic'limit.

In thefembodlment ofthe invention-shown in Figures-1, 2 and'iB ofthe drawings-they vertical deformations 11 terminate -short of* the top edge of the upright Mas `at14 leaving a sealedjoint 15 between theinnernpper portion of said uprightinember and 'the liller block 4 to exclude the elementsxof the weather as ivell as dirtand dbris.y in the form of the invention referred to. the

deformations orA cavities 11 Vdo Anot extend i ablt` to have the depressions or cavitiesll inv the upright member of theshoe continued downwardly and uninterruptedly throughy and around the 'inside corner ofthe shoe-as Also,A

at 16 and through and across the upper side of fthe-base member of vthe shoe as at 17. Such extensive deformations repeated throughout the length of the joint greatly improve-theflexibility andwactiony of the angle shoe While falsoeecting. ,very substantial economies in the use of metal.

lrVhile theimprovements herein described have been shown as applicable to the Weber typeof joint-it ivillbe understood that they are necessarily applicable to any chair type of rail joint having functions equivalent to the functions ofthe wWeber joint. It" will also be `understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details ofvconstructin may be :restorted to Without ydeparting fromthe Vspirit or sacrificing` any` of the ad# vantagesofthe invention.

I claim':-'- 1. A lightened constructionfor railjoints including a lshoe havin'g'awall of standardlv thickness andsubnormaldisplacements ofmetal therein'.

2.r Alightened construction for rail joints.V

including a-shoer havingamember of standard Wall thickness, said memberhavingub 1 normal displacements of metal thereinalternating With the standard Wall thickness.

3. A lightened construction for rail joints including a. filler block ,and an angle shoe, said` angleA shoe beingA provided in the inner` side of'its upright member with subnormal displacements of metal terminatingshort of the'top edge ofy said upright member.

4. lightened construction for rail joints includingva filler block andan angle shoe, said' angle shoe beingprovided at the inner i side of .its upright member with a plurality of kWall'fsections. of subnormal thicknessal` ter1iating with AWall" portions of 'predeterminedfnormal thickness, said ivall' Yportions of predetermined normal thickness having a holding 4engagement with the lillerblock.

Alightened construction for railY joints including an angle shoe havingin the inner Vside of lits, upright membeiyand :baseplate subnormal thicknesses of metal ina .plural-` ity of locations and alternating with wall` portions of normal thickness.

6. Alightened construction for rail joints including an angle shoe providedv at the in.-

ner side of its upright-member and base platewith a. plurality lof vcavities or, depres. sionsforming Wall portions ofsubnormalI lthickness alternating with Wallportions of normal thickness,` said depressions orv -cavi tiesextending through and around the iiisidecorner of the shoe.

Intestimony whereof l hereunto aliii my signature.

vicrono. ARMSTRONG. 

